Rising above the waters: better hygiene and sanitation in Bangladesh.

This story is about action research carried out by the Dutch WASH Alliance to improve hygiene behaviour in in south-west Bangladesh. The Alliance is supporting a local NGO called Uttaran to improve the use of safe water and sanitation by more than 105,000 people in poor communities.

Key findings from the action research are:

• Uttaran constructs 'step toilets' for 2,000 people in flood-prone areas
• Community volunteers monitor good hygiene practices in schools and villages
• Outbreaks of diarrhoea have reduced in villages where data is collected